Shloka 46

Gokula’s Wonder, Kṛṣṇa’s Bhakta-vaśyatā, the Move to Vṛndāvana, and the Slaying of Vatsāsura and Bakāsura

Devanagari script

स्वं स्वं वत्सकुलं सर्वे पाययिष्यन्त एकदा । गत्वा जलाशयाभ्याशं पाययित्वा पपुर्जलम् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

svaṁ svaṁ vatsa-kulaṁ sarve pāyayiṣyanta ekadā gatvā jalāśayābhyāśaṁ pāyayitvā papur jalam

Translation

Un jour, tous les garçons, y compris Kṛṣṇa et Balarāma, chacun menant son propre groupe de veaux, allèrent près d’un réservoir d’eau pour les faire boire. Après que les bêtes eurent bu, les garçons burent eux aussi en ce lieu.

Synonyms

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (वत्सकुलम्)

• स्वम्: each (his) own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति—‘each his own’

• वत्स-कुलम्: group/family of calves
• वत्स-कुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक (the cowherd boys)

• पाययिष्यन्त: would make (them) drink
• पाययिष्यन्त: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाययिṣ् (धातु; √पा causative)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• एकदा: once/at one time
• एकदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• जलाशय-अभ्याशम्: near a water-reservoir
• जलाशय-अभ्याशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलाशय + अभ्याश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-देश (goal as object of motion)

• पाययित्वा: having given (them) water to drink
• पाययित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पायय् (धातु; √पा causative)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having made drink)

• पपुः: drank
• पपुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam describe about the daily routine of the cowherd boys in Vraja?

This verse describes a simple pastoral routine: the boys bring their calves to a water reservoir, first letting the calves drink and then drinking themselves—part of Kṛṣṇa’s childhood Vraja-līlā setting.

Why is this ordinary act of watering calves included in Krishna Leela narratives?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī highlights Vraja’s natural, affectionate village life to frame Kṛṣṇa’s humanlike childhood pastimes; such details deepen rasa and set the scene for subsequent events in the forest.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

Prioritize care and responsibility—serving dependents first (like the calves) before oneself—cultivating humility and mindful, dharmic living.